Storage servers in storage networks generally store data across multiple data storage devices that together comprise a data container, which is also referred to herein as an aggregate. Storage servers may employ various forms of data storage devices, such as hard disk drives, solid state drives, flash drives, or tape devices, for example. The data storage devices typically host one or more storage volumes associated with file systems that define an overall logical arrangement of storage space in a storage network.
To improve performance of the storage network, data containers are often transitioned or relocated from a source storage server to a destination storage server. Generally ownership of the data storage devices that comprise the data container is released by a source storage server and obtained by a destination storage server. Subsequent to the transition, the destination storage server processes storage operations that are received from client devices and associated with data maintained in the transitioned data container.
The transition of a data container requires a significant number of processing steps relating to the teardown of the filesystem related data structures and memory by a source storage server that is currently performed before the data container is brought online by a destinations storage server. Additionally, dirty data, relating to in-flight or outstanding storage operations that were not committed to data storage devices prior to the transition being initiated, is currently flushed to data storage devices by a source storage server prior to releasing ownership of the data storage devices.
Accordingly, data container transition currently requires a significant amount of time during which the data container is unavailable to client devices to service storage requests. The delay is particular acute for source storage servers that are overloaded and experience prolonged teardown processing due to system contention.